US7462876B2 - Nitride semiconductor light emitting device - Google Patents
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- US7462876B2 US7462876B2 US11/584,503 US58450306A US7462876B2 US 7462876 B2 US7462876 B2 US 7462876B2 US 58450306 A US58450306 A US 58450306A US 7462876 B2 US7462876 B2 US 7462876B2
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- 150000004767 nitrides Chemical class 0.000 title claims abstract description 83
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H01L33/00—Semiconductor devices having potential barriers specially adapted for light emission; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof
- H01L33/02—Semiconductor devices having potential barriers specially adapted for light emission; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof characterised by the semiconductor bodies
- H01L33/04—Semiconductor devices having potential barriers specially adapted for light emission; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof characterised by the semiconductor bodies with a quantum effect structure or superlattice, e.g. tunnel junction
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H01L33/00—Semiconductor devices having potential barriers specially adapted for light emission; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof
- H01L33/02—Semiconductor devices having potential barriers specially adapted for light emission; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof characterised by the semiconductor bodies
- H01L33/26—Materials of the light emitting region
- H01L33/30—Materials of the light emitting region containing only elements of Group III and Group V of the Periodic Table
- H01L33/32—Materials of the light emitting region containing only elements of Group III and Group V of the Periodic Table containing nitrogen
Definitions
- the present invention generally relates to a nitride semiconductor light emitting device, and, more particularly, to a nitride semiconductor light emitting device, which is reduced in crystal defects, and has improved luminance and reliability.
- III-V nitride semiconductor such as a GaN semiconductor
- the III-V nitride semiconductor material comprises a GaN-based material having the formula In x Al y Ga (1-x-y) N (where 0 ⁇ x ⁇ 1, 0 ⁇ y ⁇ 1, 0 ⁇ x+y ⁇ 1).
- LEDs or LDs of the nitride semiconductor material are mainly used for light emitting devices for emitting light in the blue or green wavelength band, and are used as a light source for many applications, such as video display boards, illuminating apparatuses, etc.
- the nitride semiconductor light emitting devices are required to have further improved luminance and reliability.
- the nitride semiconductor such as the GaN semiconductor is generally grown on a heterogeneous substrate such as a sapphire substrate, and thus suffers from crystal defects due to lattice mismatch between the semiconductor material and the heterogeneous substrate.
- the crystal defects provide an adverse influence on reliability (for example, tolerance to electrostatic discharge ESD) of the light emitting device, and deteriorate the luminance of the light emitting device via absorption of light.
- various attempts including a selective epitaxial growth method have been progressed to prevent the crystal defects, these attempts have problems of a complicated process such as deposition of SiO 2 mask, and high manufacturing costs.
- FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional nitride semiconductor light emitting device, particularly, showing a nitride semiconductor light emitting diode (LED).
- the nitride semiconductor LED 10 comprises a buffer layer 13 , an n-type GaN clad layer 14 , an active layer 16 , and a p-type GaN clad layer 18 sequentially stacked on a sapphire substrate 11 .
- Some portions of the n-type GaN clad layer 14 and the p-type GaN clad layer 18 are exposed by mesa etching so as to allow an n-side electrode 24 to be formed on the exposed portion of the n-type GaN clad layer 14 .
- a transparent electrode layer 20 formed from ITO and the like is formed along with a p-side electrode 22 on the p-type GaN clad layer 18 .
- the buffer layer serves to relieve the lattice mismatch between the sapphire substrate and the GaN clad layer 14 , and can be formed from AlN or GaN at low temperatures.
- Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. (Hei) 10-135514 discloses a nitride semiconductor light emitting device comprising an active layer having the multi quantum-well structure which comprises an undoped GaN barrier layer and an undoped InGaN well layer in order to improve efficiency of light emission.
- the problems caused by the crystal defects within the light emitting device 10 cannot be satisfactorily solved.
- a significant density of crystal defects remains in the nitride semiconductor crystal, in particular, in the active layer.
- the crystal defects not only obstruct light emission from the active layer through absorption of light, but also reduce a reverse breakdown voltage or a tolerance voltage to reverse ESD. In this manner, the crystal defects deteriorate the luminance and reliability of the light emitting device.
- the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a high quality nitride semiconductor light emitting device, which has a low density of crystal defects in a nitride semiconductor crystal, particularly, in an active layer.
- a nitride semiconductor light emitting device comprising: an n-type nitride semiconductor layer, an active layer and a p-type nitride semiconductor layer sequentially formed on a substrate; an n-side electrode formed on a portion of an upper surface of the n-type nitride semiconductor layer; and at least one intermediate layer formed between the substrate and the n-type nitride semiconductor layer below the n-side electrode, the intermediate layer having a multilayer structure of three or more layers having different band-gaps.
- the intermediate layer may comprise a semiconductor material having the formula In x Al y Ga (1-x-y) N (where 0 ⁇ x ⁇ 1, 0 ⁇ y ⁇ 1, 0 ⁇ x+y ⁇ 1), and the multilayer structure of the intermediate layer may have different energy bands with different composition ratios of Al and In.
- Each of the layers constituting the intermediate layer may have a thickness in the range of 10 ⁇ 300 ⁇ .
- the intermediate layer has a super lattice structure.
- the intermediate layer may comprise a laminate of AlGaN/GaN/InGaN layers.
- the intermediate layer may have the multilayer structure in which laminates of AlGaN/GaN/InGaN layers are repetitiously stacked.
- the intermediate layer may comprise a laminate of InGaN/GaN/AlGaN layers.
- the intermediate layer may have the multilayer structure in which laminates of InGaN/GaN/AlGaN layers are repetitiously stacked.
- the intermediate layer may have the multilayer structure in which laminates of AlGaN/GaN/InGaN/GaN layers are repetitiously stacked, the AlGaN/GaN/InGaN/GaN layers constituting one stacking cycle in the multilayer structure.
- the GaN layer interposed between the AlGaN layer and the InGaN layer serves to relieve stress from the AlGaN and InGaN layers, thereby more effectively prevent formation of the crystal defects.
- At least a portion of the intermediate layer may be doped with n-type impurities such as Si and the like, or with p-type impurities such as Mg and the like.
- the intermediate layer may be an undoped layer.
- In may be added as impurities to at least a portion of the intermediate layer. In this manner, the In impurities act as surfactants, and serve to pin dislocations.
- the intermediate layer may have the multilayer structure comprising four or more layers of different band-gaps stacked therein.
- one or more layers are stacked between a first layer having the highest band-gap and a second layer having the lowest band-gap such that band-gaps of the layers sequentially increase or decrease in a stacking direction between the first layer and the second layers.
- the substrate may be formed of a material selected from the group consisting of sapphire, SiC, Si, ZnO, MgO and GaN.
- the nitride semiconductor light emitting device further comprises an undoped GaN layer between the substrate and the intermediate layer.
- the nitride semiconductor light emitting device may further comprise a buffer layer between the substrate and the undoped GaN layer.
- the nitride semiconductor light emitting device may further comprise a current spreading layer between the n-type nitride semiconductor layer and the active layer.
- a nitride semiconductor light emitting device comprising: a first n-type nitride semiconductor layer, an intermediate layer, a second n-type nitride semiconductor layer, an active layer and a p-type nitride semiconductor layer sequentially formed on a substrate; and an n-side electrode formed on a portion of an upper surface of the second n-type nitride semiconductor layer, wherein the intermediate layer has a multilayer structure formed by stacking three or more layers having different band-gaps, and is positioned below the n-side electrode.
- the intermediate layer may have a super lattice structure in which laminates of InGaN/GaN/AlGaN layers are repetitiously stacked.
- the intermediate layer may have a super lattice structure in which laminates of AlGaN/GaN/InGaN layers are repetitiously stacked.
- FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional nitride semiconductor light emitting device
- FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a nitride semiconductor light emitting device according to one aspect of the present invention
- FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a nitride semiconductor light emitting device according to another aspect of the present invention.
- FIG. 4 is a partially cross-sectional view of a multilayered intermediate layer according to a first embodiment of the present invention
- FIG. 5 is a graph depicting one example of a band-gap profile of the multilayered intermediate layer of FIG. 4 ;
- FIG. 6 is a partially cross-sectional view of a multilayered intermediate layer according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 7 is a graph depicting one example of a band-gap profile of the multilayered intermediate layer of FIG. 6 ;
- FIG. 8 is a partially cross-sectional view of a multilayered intermediate layer according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 9 is a graph depicting one example of a band-gap profile of the multilayered intermediate layer of FIG. 8 ;
- FIG. 10 is a graph depicting one example of a band-gap profile of a multilayered intermediate layer according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a nitride semiconductor light emitting device according to one aspect of the invention.
- FIG. 2 shows a nitride semiconductor light emitting diode (LED).
- the nitride semiconductor light emitting device 100 comprises an undoped GaN layer 102 , a first n-type nitride semiconductor layer 103 , a multilayered intermediate layer 150 , a second n-type nitride semiconductor layer 105 , a current spreading layer 106 , an active layer 107 , and a p-type nitride semiconductor layer 109 sequentially stacked on a sapphire substrate.
- Both first and second first n-type nitride semiconductor layers 103 and 105 may be, for example, n-doped GaN layers.
- the p-type nitride semiconductor layer 109 may be, for example, a p-doped GaN layer and/or a p-doped AlGaN layer.
- the active layer 107 may have a multi-quantum well structure of, for example, InGaN/GaN.
- the current spreading layer 106 serves to activate current spreading in a lateral direction, and may have, for example, a multilayer structure which comprises layers having different doping concentrations.
- a transparent electrode layer 110 of ITO and the like and a p-side electrode 120 may be sequentially stacked on the p-type nitride semiconductor layer 109 , and an n-side electrode 130 may be formed on a portion of an upper surface of the second n-type nitride semiconductor layer 105 , which is exposed by mesa etching.
- a buffer layer 113 such as a low temperature AlN layer may be formed between the sapphire substrate 101 and the undoped GaN layer 102 .
- the intermediate layer 150 is positioned below the n-side electrode 130 (particularly, under the second nitride semiconductor layer 105 ), and has a multilayer structure, which is formed by stacking three or more layers having different band-gaps. With the three or more layers of the different band-gaps, the intermediate layer 150 effectively bends and stops propagation of dislocations. In other words, when three or more band-gaps are consecutively stacked on the energy band diagram of the intermediate layer 150 , the dislocations generated below the intermediate layer 150 are effectively suppressed from propagating above the intermediate layer 150 . In this manner, the intermediate layer 150 serves to shield the crystal defects generated in the first n-type nitride semiconductor layer 103 . As a result, the second n-type nitride semiconductor layer 105 and the active layer 107 are reduced in amount of the crystal defects, and exhibit a better crystal quality.
- the intermediate layer 150 comprises a nitride semiconductor material which has the formula, In x Al y Ga (1-x-y) N (where 0 ⁇ x ⁇ 1, 0 ⁇ y ⁇ 1, 0 ⁇ x+y ⁇ 1).
- Nitride semiconductor layers of the intermediate layer 150 have different composition ratios of Al and In to form the multilayer structure with the modified band-gaps.
- the intermediate layer may comprise a laminate of AlGaN/GaN/InGaN layers or a laminate of InGaN/GaN/AlGaN layers (see FIGS. 4 to 9 ). Increase in content of Al causes increase of the band-gap, whereas decrease in content of In causes decrease of the band-gap.
- each of the layers constituting the intermediate layer 150 has a thickness of 10 to 300 ⁇ .
- the intermediate layer 150 may have a super lattice structure by periodically stacking the thin layers, each of which has such with the modified band-gaps has the super lattice structure, the effect of shielding the crystal defects is further improved.
- the multilayered intermediate layer 150 having the modified band-gaps is formed between the first and the second n-type nitride semiconductor layers 103 and 105 below the n-side electrode 130 .
- the intermediate layer 150 effectively shields proceeding or propagation of the dislocations towards the active layer 107 .
- the intermediate layer 150 is positioned below the n-side electrode 130 , so that a great amount of crystal defects existing under the intermediate layer 150 does not affect a current path of the light emitting device 100 . This is because the current flows into the n-side electrode 130 from the p-type semiconductor layer 109 via the active layer 107 and the second nitride semiconductor layer 105 .
- the intermediate layer 150 disposed below the n-side electrode 130 improves the crystal quality of the semiconductor layers 105 , 106 , 107 and 109 , which are positioned in the current path, thereby enhancing the luminance and reliability of the light emitting device 100 .
- At least a portion of the intermediate layer 150 may be doped with n-type impurities such as Si and the like or with p-type impurities such as Mg and the like.
- the intermediate layer 150 may be undoped layer.
- In may be added as impurities to at least a portion of the intermediate layer 150 .
- In is added as the impurities to the intermediate layer 150 , it does not exist as one composition in the intermediate layer 150 , unlike In of the InGaN material. As such, the In impurities act as surfactants within the nitride semiconductor layer.
- the In impurities lower the activation energy of the n-type impurities such as Si and the like or the p-type impurities such as Mg and the like, thereby increasing a ratio of Si or Mg which actually generates carriers (electrons or holes). Furthermore, the In impurities serve to pin the dislocations. As such, due to In added as the impurities into the intermediate layer 150 , the density of crystal defects can be further reduced in the layers grown on the intermediate layer 150 .
- the sapphire (Al 2 O 3 ) substrate is used as the substrate 101 for crystal growth of the nitride semiconductor.
- the substrate may be formed from any kind of material including SiC, Si, ZnO, MgO, GaN, etc., which permits the crystal growth of the nitride semiconductor layers.
- FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a nitride semiconductor light emitting device 200 according to another aspect of the invention.
- two intermediate layers 150 are formed between an n-side electrode 130 and a substrate 101 .
- the two intermediate layers 150 have another n-type nitride layer 104 disposed therebetween. In this manner, with the two or more intermediate layers 150 , the dislocations can be further suppressed from propagating towards the active layer 107 .
- Other components of the light emitting device 200 are the same as those of the light emitting device 100 of FIG. 2 .
- FIG. 4 is a partially cross-sectional view of a multilayered intermediate layer according to a first embodiment of the invention
- FIG. 5 is a graph depicting one example of a band-gap profile of the multilayered intermediate layer of FIG. 4 .
- the multilayered intermediate layer 150 comprises a laminate of an AlGaN layer 150 a , a GaN layer 150 b and an InGaN layer 150 c , which are sequentially stacked therein.
- laminates of the AlGaN layer 150 a , GaN layer 150 b and InGaN layer 150 c are repetitiously stacked in the intermediate layer 150 .
- the AlGaN/GaN/InGaN layers 150 a , 150 b and 150 c constitute one stacking cycle in the multilayer structure.
- the intermediate layer 150 has the super lattice structure.
- the AlGaN layer 150 a has the highest band-gap
- the InGaN layer 150 c has the lowest band-gap.
- the GaN layer 150 b interposed between the AlGaN layer 150 a and the InGaN layer 150 c has a band-gap lower than that of the AlGaN layer 150 a and higher than that of the InGaN layer 150 c.
- the multilayer structure of the three layers (AlGaN/GaN/InGaN) with different band-gaps serves to effectively shield the dislocations.
- the InGaN layer 150 c effectively bends and stops propagation of the dislocations upon growth of the AlGaN layer 150 a and the InGaN layer 150 b .
- the GaN layer 150 b serves to relieve tensile stress from the AlGaN layer 150 a of the highest band-gap and compressive stress from the InGaN layer 150 b of the lowest band-gap.
- the intermediate layer 150 shields the dislocations while relieving the stress.
- In may be added as impurities (rather than one composition) to at least a portion of the intermediate layer (for example, to the AlGaN layer 150 a or the InGaN layer 150 c ).
- the In impurities added into the intermediate layer 150 can act as surfactants, and pin the dislocations, thereby further decreasing the density of dislocations in the second n-type semiconductor layer 105 , current spreading layer 106 , active layer 107 , and p-type nitride semiconductor layer 109 on the intermediate layer 150 .
- the density of crystal defects is decreased in the n-type semiconductor layer 105 , active layer 107 and p-type nitride semiconductor layer 109 , which constitute a current path.
- a non-radioactive recombination rate decreases, but a radioactive recombination rate increases in the active layer 107 .
- the luminance of the light emitting device 100 increases.
- the crystal quality of the semiconductor layers constituting the current path is improved, the device has a low operating voltage and improved reliability (for example, reverse breakdown voltage or tolerance to ESD).
- FIG. 6 is a partially cross-sectional view of a multilayered intermediate layer according to a second embodiment of the invention
- FIG. 7 is a graph depicting one example of a band-gap profile of the multilayered intermediate layer of FIG. 6 .
- the intermediate layer of the second embodiment is different from that of the first embodiment.
- laminates of an InGaN layer 150 c , a GaN layer 150 b and an AlGaN layer 150 a are repetitiously stacked on a first nitride semiconductor layer 103 .
- the InGaN/GaN/AlGaN layers 150 c , 150 b and 150 a constitute one stacking cycle in the multilayer structure.
- the intermediate layer 150 has the super lattice structure. As shown in FIG.
- the nitride semiconductor layers of the intermediate layer 150 are repetitiously stacked in the sequence of InGaN/GaN/AlGaN layers 150 c , 150 b and 150 a (opposite to that of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 ).
- the multilayer structure of the three layers (InGaN/GaN/AlGaN) with different band-gaps also serves to effectively shield the dislocations. That is, the InGaN layer 150 c effectively bends and stops propagation of the dislocations upon growth of the AlGaN layer 150 a and the GaN layer 150 b . Furthermore, In added as impurities into a portion of the intermediate layer 150 serves to pin the dislocations, thereby further decreasing the density of dislocations in the semiconductor layers 105 , 106 , 107 and 109 on the intermediate layer 150 .
- the intermediate layer 150 of the second embodiment shields the dislocations generated therebelow, thereby decreasing the density of dislocations in the semiconductor layers 105 , 106 , 107 and 109 which provides the current path, and increasing the luminance and reliability of the device.
- FIG. 8 is a partially cross-sectional view of a multilayered intermediate layer according to a third embodiment of the invention
- FIG. 9 is a graph depicting one example of a band-gap profile of the multilayered intermediate layer of FIG. 8
- the intermediate layer comprises a GaN layer interposed between an AlGaN layer and an InGaN layer so as not to form an AlGaN/InGaN interface.
- laminates of AlGaN/GaN/InGaN/GaN layers 150 a , 150 b , 150 c and 150 b are repetitiously stacked on a first nitride semiconductor layer 103 .
- the AlGaN/GaN/InGaN/GaN layers 150 a , 150 b , 150 c and 150 b constitute one stacking cycle in the multilayer structure.
- the intermediate layer 150 has the super lattice structure. As shown in FIG.
- the GaN layer 150 b is interposed between the AlGaN layer 150 a of a higher band-gap and the InGaN layer 150 c of a lower band-gap so as not to form the AlGaN/InGaN interface.
- the intermediate layer 150 of the third embodiment has the multilayer structure comprising the three or more layers of the different band-gaps serves to shield the crystal defects.
- the multilayer structure having the GaN layer 150 b interposed between the AlGaN layer 150 a and the InGaN layer 150 c the tensile stress of the AlGaN layer 150 a and the compressive stress of the InGaN layer 150 c can be effectively relieved.
- the intermediate layer 150 is further reduced in stress, and has a lower density of crystal defects.
- the improved stress relieving effect of the intermediate layer 150 provides an additional contribution to improve the crystal quality of the semiconductor layers 105 , 106 , 107 and 109 on the intermediate layer 150 .
- FIG. 10 is a graph depicting one example of a band-gap profile of a multilayered intermediate layer according to a forth embodiment of the present invention.
- the intermediate layer comprises four or more layers 152 a , 152 b , 152 c and 152 d which have different band-gaps (for convenience, a partially cross-sectional view of the intermediate layer is omitted).
- four layers 152 a , 152 b , 152 c and 152 d have the different band-gaps from the lowest band-gap of the layer 152 a (In x Al y Ga (1-x-y) N layer which has the lowest content of Al and the highest content of In) to the highest band-gap of the layer 152 d (In m Al n Ga (1-m-n) N layer which has the highest content of Al and the lowest content of In).
- the four layers 152 a , 152 b , 152 c and 152 d are repetitiously stacked once or more, and preferably constitute the super lattice structure.
- the intermediate layer can effectively shield propagation of the dislocations.
- the band-gap of each layer can be controlled by adjusting a composition ratio of Al and In of each layer 152 a , 152 b , 152 c or 152 d.
- other layers 152 b and 152 c are stacked between the highest band-gap layer 152 d and the lowest band-gap layer 152 a such that band-gaps of the layers sequentially increase or decrease in a stacking direction.
- the stress caused by the difference in band-gaps can be effectively relieved.
- the layers 152 b and 152 c between the lowest band-gap layer 152 a and the highest band gap layer 152 d have the sequentially increasing or decreasing band-gaps, and serve to effectively relieve the stress.
- the intermediate layer of the LED has a multilayer structure in which laminates of AlGaN/GaN/InGaN layers are repeated.
- the LED device having the intermediate layer is improved in reverse breakdown voltage Vr by about 30% in comparison to the conventional LED device without the intermediate layer.
- the LED device having the intermediate layer is improved in optical power Po by about 25% in comparison to the conventional LED device without the intermediate layer.
- the improvement in the optical power Po through the intermediate layer means improvement in luminance of the device, which is caused by reduction in amount of the crystal defects and by current spreading in the semiconductor crystal.
- the improvement in reverse breakdown voltage means improvement in reliability of the device, which is caused by reduction in amount of the crystal defects in the semiconductor crystal.
- a multilayered intermediate layer having three or more layers of different band-gaps is disposed between a substrate and an n-type semiconductor layer below an n-side electrode, reducing the density of crystal defects in semiconductor layers which provides a current path. As a result, the luminance and the reliability of the light emitting device are significantly improved.
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JP2007180499A (ja) | 2007-07-12 |
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